The present invention relates generally to exterior mounted rearview mirrors for motor vehicles and, more specifically, to power folding mirror assemblies.
Rearview mirrors are located on a vehicle to assist a vehicle operator to see behind and to the sides of vehicle. Exterior rearview mirrors extend from the side of the vehicle. The general construction of a mirror assembly includes a mirror housing mounted to an applique on the vehicle. The applique is a generally low profile component which is fixedly mounted to the vehicle. The mirror housing contains a mirror and its adjustment mechanism.
Mirrors on sport-utility type vehicles and other large vehicles often extend a relatively large distance with respect to the side of the vehicle. The extension of the mirror from the side of the vehicle in some instances such as when using a service window of a bank or drive-through restaurant may present obtrusive difficulties when maneuvering the vehicle. Often the vehicle must be positioned a great distance from the service window to clear the mirrors. The extended distance makes the performance of a transaction difficult.
To alleviate this difficulty some vehicle manufactures are providing folding mirrors which fold close to the vehicle for tight maneuvers. Many such mirrors are manually operated. That is, a vehicle operator must leave the vehicle to position the mirror close to the vehicle and then return to reposition the mirror.
Some vehicle manufactures have provided power folding mirrors to make retracting the mirrors easier. Such mirrors utilize a motor housed within the mirror housing to pivot the housing with respect to the applique. Several problems exist with placing the folding mechanism within the mirror. The first problem is that a significant amount of noise is generated during the folding process. The noise is magnified since the motor is partially enclosed within the mirror housing. The second problem is that a motor must be weatherproofed which adds expense to such an assembly. Third, the motor and its associated gearing take up a significant amount of space within the mirror housing adding to the bulk and heft of the mirror assembly. Consequently, a relatively small motor is employed. A smaller motor generating the same output as a larger motor is more expensive.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a power folding mirror assembly that overcomes the shortcomings of previously know folding mirrors.